Early Booking Incentive on Popular Norwegian Arctic Cruises During Summer 2016.

With half of its voyages to Spitsbergen already sold out for 2016, One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) is recommending that interested travellers book soon for next year in order to secure their preferred departure date and cabin category. The specialist in small ship adventure cruises is also offering a cabin upgrade or complimentary single supplement to the first 20 passengers confirmed in twin or superior categories on each of the two remaining Spitsbergen Encounter trips, which depart on 13 June and 14 July 2016. The 13 June departure will also feature a photographic symposium, with a team of professional and highly acclaimed photographers on board to share their technical expertise in wildlife and landscape photography.

The two nine-night voyages begin and end in Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, the largest and only island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to be inhabited all year round. Once a whaling base, the islands are now a significant breeding ground for numerous sea birds, as well as home to many mammals and the elusive polar bear.

Travelling on board the renowned, ice-strengthened Akademik Sergey Vavilov, the expeditions will head north to the edge of the ice pack in order to maximise the chances of seeing polar bears on ice floes as they hunt for seals and other protein to sustain them through the Arctic summer.
En route passengers will be sure to see the distinctive white beluga whales with their prominent foreheads, which are said to number between five to 10,000 in the area.

In fact, the opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography on this trip are prolific. They include reindeer near Bourbonhamna, bearded and ringed seals in Krossfjorden, more than 100,000 breeding Brunnich’s guillemots at Alkefjellet in the Hinlopen Strait, a large dovekie colony at Fuglesangen and walrus on Prince Charles Island. What’s more there will be almost 24 hours of daylight in which to look out for and enjoy the many different species of birds and mammals throughout the voyage.

The island of Phippsoya sits at 81˚ north latitude, just 540 nautical miles from the North Pole, where the potential for polar bear viewing is even greater.

Passengers will also be struck by the breathtaking scenery during the expedition. Among the most impressive sights is Lilliehook Glacier, which towers around 80 metres high and stretches almost seven kilometres long.

During the voyage there will be a comprehensive series of presentations by polar experts, together with daily guided shore excursions and expeditions by zodiac to explore the coastline, inlets and fjords.

Optional sea kayaking trips are available at an additional cost for those who have previous paddling experience and must be booked prior to departure.

Prices for this voyage start from US $4995pp triple share and from US $6495 based on twin share. This includes accommodation, all meals, 24-hour tea and coffee, use of wet weather gear, shore excursions, landings, educational presentations and guided walks. Airport transfers are included, but flights to Longyearbyen (via Oslo) are not.

For more information on this and other polar cruises, please visit www.oneoceanexpeditions.com
For UK Media Enquiries, contact: Debra Taylor, tel: 01491 613424, mob: 07956 852197, email: debra@toucanmoon.com

About One Ocean Expeditions
One Ocean Expeditions is a Canadian expedition cruise operator founded in 2007. The company operates two purpose-built ships, each with a Lloyd’s IA ice class and a capacity of 100 guests. These research vessels are specifically designed for exploration of ice laden waters and combine modern comforts and superb amenities with first-class safety features.
Offering a range of small group experiential travel programmes to the Arctic and Antarctica, One Ocean Expeditions has developed a reputation for exceptional quality, customer service and great value. These unique programmes take passengers in to both of ambassadors for each region they visit.
One Ocean Expeditions continually strives to excel as a polar expert by collaborating with researchers and explorers in exciting programmes. In the Arctic OOE directly supports Northern communities through support of local business, donations and community outreach programmes, whilst in Antarctica they are involved in numerous efforts in the continued scientific support and conservation of the continent.